BSNL Employees Union calls for strike on Aug 20

New Delhi, Aug 18 (UNI) BSNL Employees Union today called for a one-day general strike on August 20 to protest the ''anti-worker policies'' of the Central Government.

The union will organise a one-day general strike against intolerable price rise and privatisation/disinvestment/IPO of the BSNL as well as the unjustified delay in wage negotiation for the non-executives and contract workers, it said in a statement.

This decision comes in the wake of the BSNL management's decision to go ahead with the IPO proposal. The Union said the proposal in real terms is disinvestment and the first step towards privatisation.

The Central Government has already announced its decision on the recommendations of the Sixth Central Pay Commission for Central Government employees. The Second Pay Review Committee for executives in CPSEs have submitted its recommendation three months back.

However, so far no wage negotiations have started for wage revision for non-executives in the CPSEs including BSNL.

''This is a serious injustice and discrimination against the low-paid non-executive employees,'' the Union said.

UNI AK SR BD2020